Cozonac

Cozonac

Ingrediente pentru 2 cozonaci:

Aluat:

1 kg faina (+ pentru intins coca)

2 plicuri drojdie uscata

3 gălbenușuri

1/2 linguriță sare

300 g zahar

1/2 litru de lapte

8 linguri ulei sau 50g unt topit

1 linguriță vanilie

1/2 linguriță ghimbir pudra

Crema:

3 albușuri

4 linguri de zahar

3 linguri cacao

stafide

nuca

rahat

Preparare:

Amestecam faina cu drojdia și ghimbirul, și lăsăm deoparte. Fierbem laptele cu zaharul și sarea pana când se dizolva zaharul. Adăugăm și vanilia în lapte. Când laptele este călduț (sa nu fie prea fierbinte) îl amestecam cu faina. Omogenizam bine și frământăm aluatul adăugând gălbenușurile pe rând și uleiul.

Lăsăm aluatul la crescut 2-3 ore. Eu l-am ținut la cuptorul electric la 40° C și a crescut în 1,5 ore.

După ce a crescut, se împarte aluatul în doua și se întind foi subțiri peste care punem crema.

Pentru crema, batem albușurile spuma tare cu zaharul. Adăugăm cacaua și amestecam ușor.

Întindem crema peste aluat, presărăm stafidele, nuca și rahatul. Rulam cozonacii și ii punem în tăvile unse cu unt. Mai lăsăm sa crească 1 ora. Ii ungem cu gălbenuș de ou și presărăm zahar.

Lăsăm la copt 45-50 minute la 180° C.

Salata cu paste

Pasta Salad

Serves 6-8
Time 30 mins
Recipe by Justine

Ingredients:
500g of dried pasta- Elbow
2 large fresh buffalo mozzarellas
(or bocconcini), roughly chopped
2 punnets of cherry tomatoes cut in half
6 sliced of streaky bacon
150g green olive, pit removed and cut in half
2 x 125g canned tuna slices, drained
½ bunch basil, finely chopped
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
4 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:
Cook pasta according to packet instructions then drain.
While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a large pan until crispy and then drain on absorbent paper.
In a large bowl add the cheese, tomatoes, bacon, olives, canned tuna, basil and the cooked pasta. Toss all the ingredients together and then dress with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Best serve at room temperature but may be served cold.

Briose fluturi

LEMON CURD BUTTERFLY BUNS

Prep time:
20 min, plus cooling
Cook time:
15 min
Serves:
Makes 12
INGREDIENTS:
For the buns
· 175 g butter
· 175 g caster sugar
· 1 tsp vanilla essence
· 4 eggs
· 1 tsp baking powder
· 175 g plain flour
To fill the cakes
· 250 ml double cream, whipped
· 100 ml lemon curd
· icing sugar, for dusting

 METHOD:
· 1. For the buns : preheat the oven to 180C/160C /gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add the vanilla essence and slowly add the eggs, two at a time.
2. Combine the baking powder with the flour and gently fold into the mixture.
3. Divide into a 12 cup muffin tin lined with paper cases. Bake for 15 minutes until well risen and golden brown, then leave to cool.
4. Cut the tops off the cakes and cut the tops in half to make the butterfly wings.
5. To fill the cakes : fold the cream and lemon curd together until slightly marbled and pipe onto the top of the cakes. Place the cake wings on top and dust with icing sugar.

Supa de dovleac

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

For the Soup:
2 red onions
2 carrots
4 cloves of garlic
2 sticks celery
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
½ – 1 fresh red chilli, to taste
2kg pumpkin
olive oil
16 fresh sage leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 litres chicken or vegetable stock, preferably organic
extra virgin olive oil
For the croutons:
16 slices of ciabatta bread
extra virgin olive oil
a block of Parmesan cheese, for grating

Method:
To make your soup
1. Peel and chop the red onions, carrots and garlic. Trim and chop the celery. Pick the rosemary leaves and discard the stalks. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Carefully halve the pumpkin lengthways, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut into chunks.
2. Line a small bowl with kitchen paper. Put a very large saucepan on a medium heat and add a couple of lugs of olive oil. Add the sage leaves and fry for around 30 seconds, or until dark green and crisp. Quickly remove them with a slotted spoon to the bowl lined with kitchen paper – you’ll use these for sprinkling over at the end.
3. Put the pan of oil back on the heat and add the onion, carrot, garlic, celery, rosemary leaves, chilli and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are sweet and soft. Add the pumpkin and the stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes.
To make your croutons
4. While the soup is cooking, make your croutons. Cut your ciabatta into 1cm thick slices. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the ciabatta slices and pat it in. Finely grate a layer of Parmesan over each slice and press it onto the bread.
5. Place in a non-stick pan without any oil and fry on a medium heat until golden on both sides. These are delicious and will go with just about any soup you want to make.
To serve your soup and croutons
6. When the pumpkin is soft and cooked through, whiz the soup with a hand blender or pour it into a liquidizer and pulse until you have a smooth purée (but you can leave it slightly chunky if you like). Have a taste and season with salt and pepper until it’s perfect.
7. Divide the soup between your bowls, placing 2 croutons on top of each. Top each portion with 2 crispy sage leaves and drizzle with a swirl of good-quality extra virgin olive oil.